Let’s talk hair; gymnastics hair for competition day!
For the experts, meet-day hair is a great excuse to challenge your mad skills and create works of art.
If you’re more like us from Infinity Gymnastics & Dance in Oakleigh, competition hair means frustration, failure, many re-do’s and settling for the one hairstyle I know how to do in under 20 minutes.
The goal of this series?
Provide inspiration for the experts, motivation for the competent, and direction for anyone hanging out in my camp.
The goal of this post?
Provide gymnastics-specific tips and address hair culture and needs within the sport. Share expert advice on taking the stress out of performance-perfect hair and tips on securing hairstyles that withstand three-hour meets.
Psst . . . Keep reading to learn what hair ninja, Jill Ehat from JEhat Hair has to say on the last two topics!
If you don’t already follow Jill, I highly recommend that you do! You can find her on Instagram | Facebook | Youtube.
Creative but not distracting
The goal is to keep the attention on your daughter’s beautiful smile, pointed toes, and personality, and presentation. Hopefully, her performance is not overshadowed by her hairstyle.
That doesn’t mean you have to be conservative on style! Just avoid using too much ribbon, glitter, or added accessories that will detract from your athlete’s hard-earned skills.
Beware of the Backward Roll
Did you know that all Compulsory Level gymnasts (levels 1-5) and many Xcel Gymnasts have backward rolls in their floor routines? In regards to gymnastics hair this skill is problematic and usually ends in one of three ways:
- the gymnast is in tears because the massive and intricately placed ponytail or bun, tightly secured with one hundred bobby pins, was forcefully thrust into her scalp.
- the mother is in tears because her artfully crafted masterpiece didn’t withstand the powerful impact with the floor and now looks more like a rat’s nest than her creative hair-do.
- both the gymnast and parent beam with pride as the daughter moves gracefully through the skill with ease and comfort. We’re obviously hoping for scenario C here.
If your daughter is competing for a backward roll in her floor routine make sure you choose a style that will stay out of her way. The best way to find a right hairstyle is by sending her to practice to test out the “do” BEFORE competition day.
That brings us to the next tip . . .
Dress Rehearsal
Calm, collected, confident . . . All things we hope our child feels on competition day, right? But when mom is stressed about hair, the anxiety is felt by everyone. Luckily a little prep work will remedy this.
First, remove the expectation of perfection. No one is going to notice a misplaced strand of hair or a little bump. Really, they won’t.
Now on to Jill Ehat’s expert advice,
Choose the style & try it a couple of times for practice. Each time you do it, you’ll get better & find ways to improve it. Plus you’ll know how long it takes to do it so the day of competition can run smoothly & stress-free!
I’ve included free downloads in Hairstyle Post #2 & #3 so you can keep track of hairstyles you’ve tried, ones you and your daughter love, and about how long it takes you to execute each one. Find links below.
Tumble Worthy
Hair in your gymnast’s face is anything but helpful during competition. But what is the best way to secure a hairstyle so it can withstand three hours of flipping, twisting, and tumbling? Jill Ehat has the answer for us,
The key to creating a secure hairstyle is getting the right elastics! The most great hairdo can be ruined with elastics that slip out! And nearly any hairstyle can be converted to a gymnastics hairstyle by adding elastics! I add hidden elastics to secure styles all the time!
When shopping for elastics, you need ones that are strong enough to hold the amount of hair you are working with, are appropriate for the texture of hair, & don’t slip! I use 3 types of elastics on my girls silky baby beautiful hair: reusable ones (until they stretch out), medium ones, & small clear or colored ones for one time use.
Another tip is don’t be afraid of hair products! Dry shampoo, spray gel & an excellent strong hairspray are necessities for us! Make sure you choose products specific to your child’s hair type.
Are you on the hunt for some fresh and fun gymnastics hairstyles for competition day?!
Thank goodness there are talented mommas sharing great hair ideas and tutorials with the less creative and capable (me)!
16 Gymnastics Hairstyles – Braids
1. Zipper Braid | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
2. 4 Strand Braid to Bun | JEhat3. 5 Strand Dutch Braid | Twist Me Pretty -includes video tutorial
4. 3 French Braid to Bun | JEhat
5. Double French Braids Pinned | JEhat
6. French Up High Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
7. Bundled Braids | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
8. Waterfall Headband Braid | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
9. Double French into High Pony | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
10. Dutch Sister Braid | MakeUpWearables -includes video tutorial
11. French Loop Braid to Pony | JEhat
12. Dutch Accent Pony | Cute Girls Hairstyles – includes video tutorial
13. Braided Pull-Through | Babes in Hairland – includes video tutorial
14. Princess Pentagon with Braids | Princess Piggies
15. Double Knot Braid | Girly Do Hairstyles – includes video tutorial
16. Triple French to Piggies | Princess Hairstyles
Which of the above listed gymnastics hairstyles is have you tried?
16 Gymnastics Hairstyles – Buns
1. Pancaked Bun of Braids | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
2. Side French Braid Bun | JEhat
3. Fan Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
4. French Braid Love Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
5. Mohawk Bun | JEhat
6. Bow Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
7. Lace Braided Bun| Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
8. Double French Messy Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
9. 3D Flower Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
10. Simple Top Knot | Small Fry Blog
11. Low Topsy Bun | JEhat
12. Pinwheel Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles – includes video tutorial
13. Infinity Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles – includes video tutorial
14. Crown Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles – includes video tutorial
15. French Up High Bun | Cute Girls Hairstyles -includes video tutorial
16. Topsy Tale Bun | Princess Hairstyles